1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus having the same, and more particularly, to a medium feeding unit and an image forming apparatus having the same including a guiding configuration aligning a loaded printable medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus, such as, a printer, a photo-copier, a facsimile machine or a multi-functional product, forms a visible image on a printable medium during a printing operation by means of a developer or ink based on print data applied from a host. Such an image forming apparatus is typically provided with a medium feeding unit to which a plurality of printable media are loaded, and the medium feeding unit supplies the loaded printable medium one by one during a printing operation.
A medium feeding unit for use in an image forming apparatus includes a cassette frame to which a printable medium of various standards is loaded, and at least one guiding member disposed to move in a widthwise direction of the printable medium to support and align opposite ends of the printable medium. As a result, a printable medium of any standard can be loaded to the cassette frame, and the guiding members can support the opposite sides of the printable medium so as to prevent the printable medium from being dispersed, while the printable medium is supplied for a printing operation.
However, among all the standards of a printable medium, there are standards that are similar, such as, for example, standard letter and standard A4, in which the widths of which are very close in size and are difficult to discern with naked eyes. For example, when a guiding member in a cassette frame is set to a position to support a printable medium of the standard letter size, but a printable medium of the standard A4 size is loaded into the cassette frame, most users will fail to discern this distinction. In this situation, the guiding member will fail to secure the opposite ends of the printable medium. Therefore, a gap is created between the printable medium and the guiding member so that the printable medium supplied during a printing operation can slide to the right or to the left during the printing operation. As a result, an image can be partially formed on a right side or a left side of the printable medium.
In addition, in a typical medium feeding unit, there is no configuration to support each outer side against the guiding members. Therefore, the guiding members can move in a direction in which the printable medium is not supported such that a gap can be created between the printable medium and the guiding members.